Wilkinson County High School’s special teams had the play of the game as it blocked Spencer Romero’s field goal attempt with just seconds remaining as the Wildcats celebrated homecoming with a win over the Franklin County High School Bulldogs Friday night in the MHSAA Region 7-3A opener for both teams, 15-13.

Wilkinson County won the game despite losing the turnover battle (4 to 2) while having both fewer rushing yards and more penalties and penalty yards than Franklin County.

Even though Freddie Byrd was picked off twice, he also had two long touchdown passes in the first half. His first one went for 59 yards to James Huff with 10:11 to go in the first quarter. Then he threw a 49-yard scoring pass to Drequan Cage with 3:44 left in the second quarter, and Terrell Coleman’s 2-point conversion run gave them a 15-7 lead.

One of Byrd’s two interceptions went to Deione Buckles, who returned it 60 yards for a touchdown with 37 remaining until halftime. However, the Wildcats held the Bulldogs out of the end zone on an attempted 2-point conversion run.

Byrd completed 18 of 28 passes for 227 yards. Coleman had 18 carries for 91 yards and Cage had six receptions for 129 yards.

Keonté Bee scored the first touchdown for Franklin County (0-7, 0-1) on a five-yard run early in the second quarter. Bee had 22 carries for 69 yards. Jaquan Brown went just 3-for-11 passing for 63 yards. Dominique White led the Bulldogs’ defense with 13 tackles while Kentrell Franklin had six tackles and one sack.

Franklin County hosts fourth-ranked Hazlehurst at 7 p.m. next Friday.

Wilkinson County (3-3, 1-0) plays at Jefferson County with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. next Friday.